Automatic lubricator.



L J. MEAD.

AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR.

APPLICATKON man JULY 15. 1914.

1,188,470. 4 Patented'Jfine 27, 1916;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1-' Illl I III mltn L. -J. MEAD. AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR. APPLICATION FILED JULYIS. I914.

Patented June 27, 191 6.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

THE coLuM'BIA Pumaamilh c 0., WASHXNOTON PJfi .Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a similar view along the.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE J'. MEAD, or Damian, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR.

7 '0 all whom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE J. MEAD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Darien, in the county of F airfield and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Lubricators, of wh ch the following is a specification. I

The operatlon of elevator C2LI'S' -I'Gqll116S the use of devices for automatically applying lubricant to the slideways of thecar or the counter-weights thereof. Devices of this character heretofore used fed lubricants'to all portions of the slideways, including the portions already well lubricated.

The present invention is designed to feed lubricants to the slideways only when and where needed, and comprehends lubricating means controlled by the friction developed or lost by a friction shoe in passing along the slideway, whereby lubricant is applied whenever the movement of the friction shoe is retarded on account of increased friction at an insufliciently lubricated portion, and is discontinued whenever the normal movement of the shoe is resumed as it reaches a well'lubricated portion of the slideway.

One form of the device is illustrated in Fig. 1 in a side elevation, some of the parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a top view of I the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section along the line AA of line 13-13 of the same figure; Fig.5 a side elevation of a modification of the invention,

elevator shaft at 2. A frame 3 is arranged I on the top of the carrying parts for supportving a lubricant container 4, the latter provided with an outlet 5, having a valve 6 adapted to control the flow of lubricant from the container into a distributing box 7. A pair of nozzles 8 direct the lubricant into a swab-pan 9 preferably provided with a swab or felt 10, or other suitable material, the pairbeing supported by means of a bracket 11.

The valve 6 is controlled by means of a.

rod 12 having near its upper end a pair of operating collars 13 and 14. The lubricant container 4 is provided with a pair of brackets 15 and 16 supporting a shaft 17 "A forked lever 18 is pivotally secured to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Application filea zru 'is, 1914. Seria1No.851,084

An extension 24 of the base 20 of the sheet.

metal frame is arranged on one side thereof. The branches of the forked lever 18 are provided with helical springs 25 and 26 bound on one side by the lugs 23 of the sheet, metal frame and on the other side by suitable lugs 27 of .the frictional contact member 28.

The lubricant container 4 carries a vertical bolt 29, secured in a boss 30'and having a horizontally protruding pin 31. Helical springs 32 and 33 are provided on the bolt- 29, so that one of the springs is located between the boss 30 and the lower side of the base 20 of the sheet metal frame, while the second spring 32, is located between the upper side of the base 20 and a holdingnut 34 at the upper end of the bolt 29. The lubricant container further carries a double armed lever 35 pivoted in brackets 36, secured to the container. The inner end 37 of the lever 35 is provided with an opening for engaging the valve rod '12 below the collar 13. 9 I

Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the invention in which 38 indicates a bracket for carrying a resilient arm 39, having an elongated opening 40 forj engaging a vertical bolt 41 secured to the lubricant container. The upperend of the bolt is provided with acollar 42. Helical springs 32, 33 are provided, one on each side ofthe resilient arm 39, .One resting against one face of the arm and the lubricant container and the other against thejother face of the arm and the collar 42. s The resilient arm 39 extends into a bent portion 43 and a curved end 44, the latter adapted to engage a suitable pin 45, on lugs 27, of the frictionalv shoe 28. Both forms of'theinvention shown in the figures of the drawings illustrate the pin 31 passing through the bolt 29 in about the pin' 31. The lowest portion of the spring 32 and the highest portion of the spring 33, form a horizontal ring contacting directly, one on each side of and with the pin, so that the base plate as well as ,the bent arm, are practically free from pressure of the spring in either direction when normal position. In case, however, of the displacement of the friction shoe in relation to the lubricant container, the base plate or the bent arm will cause compression of either of the helical springs, without however, being aided in doing so, by the other spring.

In" the operation of this invention, the movement of an elevator car, or an equivalent moving member such as the cross head of a reciprocating engine or pump, has the effect of retarding the movement of the friction shoe, wherever an unlubricated or rough portion of the surface .of the slideway causes an increase of friction between the shoe and the slideway.

Referring to Fig. 1, the retarding of the friction shoe 28, if the elevator caris movupwardly, causes a downward movement of the lever 18 and the sheet metal frame secured thereto, a depression of the helical spring 33 and, therefore, pressure of the extension Ql of the base 20, upon the outer arm of the lever 35. The inner end of the lever 35 is'thereby raised and presses against the collar 13 of the valve stem'12 and opens the valve 6, so that lubricant may flow through the nozzles 8, .8, unto the lubricating swab 10. In case the moving element moves in the opposite direction, so that the retarded movement of the friction shoe 28 causes an upward movement of the lever 18, then the helical spring 32 becomes compressed, and the extension of the base plate 20, having the opening 21-, engages the collar 1st "of the valve stem 12, and again caused the opening of the valve 6, resulting in the delivery of the lubricant.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 5

' operates in a similar way, so that in case of a retarded movement lof the friction shoe 28, toward the lubricant container, the 'exten sion Ql depresses one end of the lever '35,

causing the lifting of the other end of the lever in contact with the collar 13 of the valve stem, and the retarded movement ,of the friction shoe in the opposite direction causes the direct'lifting of the collar 14 of the valve stem inco'ntact with the bent portion l3 of the resilient arm 39.

It will be apparent that the invention is applicable not only to lubricating devices for elevator cars, but to any =k1nd of apparatus moving along a slldeway and 're-' qniring lubrication.

What Iclaim is:

1. The combination with a slideway of a normally inoperative lubricating device, and

means friction-ally engaging said slideway to actuate said device by increase of fric- ,tio n between said frictional means and slideway.

2. combination with a slideway of a normally inoperative lubricating device and means for moving the same along said slideway, said device being adapted to go into operation whenever increased frictional resistance between it and the slideway .is developed owing to lack of lubrication of the latter. i 3. Theeombination with a slidewayof an elevator car, a normally inoperative lubricating device, and means for moving said device along said slideway, said device being adapted to go into operation whenever retarded by increase of friction between it and said slidewaydue to insufficient lubrication of the latter.

i Thecombination with a slideway ofan elevator car, a lubricant container connected to said car, andnormally inoperative lubricating ,means associated with said lubricant container and said slideway, said means being adapted to go into operation whenever increased frictional resistance is def velop'edjbetween it and said slideway due to insu'flicient lubrication of the latter.

5. The combination with a slideway of an elevator car, a lubricantcontainer connected to said car, and normally inoperative lubrieating .means, including a friction shoe, associated with said lubricant container and said slideway said means being adapted to go into operation whenever increased fricltiona-l resistance is developed between said friction shoe and the slideway due to in sufficient lubrication of the latteiu i 6. The combination with a slideway of a car and a normally inoperative lubricating ,device, including a lubricant container having a discharge valve and a friction shoe movable along said slideway, said lubricating device being adapted to go into operation whenever said friction shoe is retarded by increase of friction between it and said slideway due to insufficient lubrication of the latter. h

if 7. The combination with a slideway, of a friction shoe adapted'to be retarded in its movement when "passing over unlubricated portions of the surface of said slideway only, means for moving said shoe, means connected withsaid shoe for applying lubricant to such unlubricated portions when the movement of said shoe is so retarded, and means for stopping the flow of lubricant when said shoe has passed such unlubricated portions.

8 The combination with an elevator slideway, of a car, a lubricant container .movable'with said car along said slideway, an outlet on said container','a valve in said outlet, a valve stem, a friGtiO l $1.106 movable along said slideway, means for operating said valve stem when said shoe passes over unlubricated portions of the surface of said slideway, and means for operating said valve stem when said shoe has passed such unlubricated portions.

9. The combination with a slideway of a lubricant container movable along the slideway, another movable member engaging said slideway and connected to said container and adapted to have reciprocatory movements in opposite directions relative to said container, means connected to said movable member and container for applying lubricant to said slideway on any such relative movement of said movable member, and yielding means for maintaining said movable member in equilibrium between such opposite movements.

10. The combination with a slideway of a lubricant container movable along the slideway, a friction shoe engaging said slideway and connected to said container and adapted to have reciprocatory movements in opposite directions relative to said container, means connected to said movable member and container for applying lubrislideway, a friction shoe engaging said slideway and connected to said container and adapted to have reciprocatory movements in opposite directions relative to said container, means connected to said shoe and container for applying lubricant to said slideway on any such relative movement of said shoe and yielding means exerting opposite forces for maintaining said shoe in equilibrium between said movements.

Signed at New York, in the county and State of New York, this 29th day of June, 1914.

LAWRENoE J. MEAD.

copies of thin patent mly be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner oi iatents, Washington, D. 0." 

